adjective
- occurring or existing before a trial in court
Usage: legal
noun
- a conference or hearing held before a trial to settle procedural matters
Usage: legal
Examples
- The defendant was held in pretrial detention for six months.
- Pretrial motions were filed by both attorneys.
- The judge scheduled a pretrial conference to discuss evidence.
- Pretrial publicity could affect the jury selection process.
- During the pretrial, the lawyers agreed on which witnesses to call.
- The pretrial hearing lasted only thirty minutes.
- Pretrial negotiations often lead to plea bargains.